What Is the Best Way To Express Our Gratitude to Allah?
Answered by Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Kharsa
Question
What is the best way to express our gratitude to Allah?
Answer
Expressing our gratitude to Allah Almighty, praising, and extolling Him are essential religious duties. Allah Almighty says, “… remember Me; I will remember you. And thank Me, and never be ungrateful.” [Quran, 2:152]
We must all thank and praise Allah Almighty in every situation, for He is the Bestower and the Benefactor.
The Prophetic Example of Gratitude
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was our role model and perfect example, often expressing gratitude to Allah (Most High). He would stand in prayer at night until his feet swelled, and when asked why he exerted himself so much despite Allah having forgiven his past and future sins, he replied, “Should I not be a grateful servant?”
Gratitude is Multi-Dimensional
The best way to express our gratitude to Allah Almighty is to combine the gratitude of the heart, tongue, and limbs, thereby becoming a grateful servant.
This means knowing deep in your heart that all blessings are purely by Allah Almighty’s grace and mercy. Allah says, “Whatever blessings you have are from Allah.” [Quran, 16:53]
At the same time, you praise Him with your tongue, extol Him, and express your thanks, as Allah (Most High) says, “And proclaim the blessings of your Lord.” [Quran, 93:11]
Then, engage all your limbs in obeying Allah Almighty and turning towards Him. For example, use your eyes to observe the signs of Allah (Most High) and evidence of His power, your ears to listen to the words of Allah Almighty, His Prophet, and the righteous, and your hands to spend in the way of the Lord Almighty, and so on. Allah (Most High) says, “˹We ordered:˺ “Work gratefully, O family of David!” ˹Only˺ a few of My servants are ˹truly˺ grateful.” [Quran, 34:13]
May Allah make us and you among those few who are truly grateful, thanking Allah Almighty openly and secretly at all times and in every moment.
[Shaykh] Abdul Rahman al-Kharsa
Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Kharsa is a Syrian scholar, born in Damascus in 1971. He obtained his degree in the Arabic Language from the University of Damascus. He received his Islamic education from some of the most prominent scholars of Sham, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Taj al-Din al-Kittani, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajeh, Shaykh Bashir al-Bari, Shaykh Ibrahim al-Hindi, Shaykh Hisham al-Salahi, among others.
He memorized the Holy Quran and studied the ten Qira‘at (recitations) through the paths of the Shatibiyya and Durra under Shaykh Muhammad Haytham Minini and Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Kurdi.
Shaykh al-Kharsa has taught at Al-Azhar University in the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon. He established Quranic centers in several areas in Lebanon and manages a Quranic center in Istanbul, where he is involved in Quran memorization programs and delivers public and private lessons.
He teaches in the Ijaza system at Dar al-Fuqaha in Turkey. His work also includes scholarly research, particularly in verifying texts within the Hanafi school. Notably, he has done the tahqiq of renowned works such as “Tanwir al-Absar” and “Jami‘ al-Bihar” by Imam al-Tumurtashi. May Allah preserve him and continue to make his efforts fruitful.
